The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay $310 million to settle a lawsuit over the East Palestine train derailment.
The settlement resolves a civil violation of the Clean Water Act and will fund cleanup efforts, rail safety upgrades, and environmental health programs following the February 2023 derailment.
Norfolk Southern has agreed to spend $235 million on cleanup efforts and pay $15 million in civil penalties. The company will also pay $25 million for a 20-year community health program and $15 million for long-term monitoring of groundwater and surface water.
The company estimates that the environmental costs from the derailment will be more than $1 billion, and the settlement will help to fund that cleanup.
“Today’s settlement is a critical step towards providing a measure of justice for the families who are still suffering in the wake of the derailment and holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the reckless failure that imperiled the lives of so many Pennsylvanians,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. “However, we must do more to provide relief and care for the communities that were devastated by this catastrophe, and to prevent future derailments and ensure Pennsylvanians are never forced to go through this hell again.”
Norfolk Southern filed for bankruptcy protection in the wake of the derailment.
Source: PA Senator Bob Casey